Upon your inauguration, you have put great effort in supporting the socially marginalized groups and also in ridding the society of its malpractices. We sincerely appreciate your hard work in realizing the desires of the candle light revolution and thus opening a new era for South Korea.

The Reconciliation and Reunification Committee of the NCCK has hoped to see the nation’s long-cherished wish of a peaceful reunification finally come true with your leadership. Recently, however, North Korea has reinforced its nuclear tests and ICBM launches and accordingly, South Korea has made the deployment of THAAD a fait accompli, developed N-subs, strengthened ballistic missiles and intensified KOR-US joint military exercises. This tension has risen within the peninsula, which has caused grave concern to us all. To make matters worse, President Trump has declared that “North Korea would face fire and fury, one never witnessed by the world”. Against such harsh words, North Korea immediately responded by announcing that it will strike Guam and Seoul with its Hwasung-12.

Military tension is at its height in the Korean peninsula and there is fear of war spreading among the people. We understand that you are also deeply concerned, but the lives of the people in South Korea should not be threatened by the provocative acts of the US and North Korea.

The road to peace is a difficult one, but the harder it gets the more important it is that we keep the principle. Dialogue is meant to resolve such extreme situation, which is why its affect is so highly valued. We cannot start sincere dialogues when we place blame for the opponent’s extreme actions or when we insist various pre-conditions for dialogue.

We sincerely ask of the President that you swiftly take matters into hand. We ask that through unconditional dialogues, the two Koreas pave way to independently resolve the neo-Cold War crisis in the Korean peninsula. The NCCK is ready to take active participation.

In order to transform the present crisis into an opportunity and open the door for dialogue, we humbly ask you to immediately dispatch a special envoy to North Korea.

Our prayers will be with you always, as you are desperately struggling for a better future of our country.

Rev. Kim Young Ju General Secretary Rev. Rah Haek Jib Chair of the Reconciliation and Reunification National Council of Churches in Korea